Priest making intercession in the eucharist?

[Zaphod]

Do Catholics believe that in the Eucharist, the priest intercedes for the people by making atonement with the Lamb of God?

I was told by a protestant that Catholics believe this, but I can’t find it in the Catechism.

 

[Trishie]

The priest is only the instrument or minister. The atonement s Jesus’ atonement. Dear friend, some of our protestant friends have misconceptions so are not the best teachers of our Catholic truth. Maybe you could source the Vatucan Two documents to see what the Catholic teaching is. I don’t still have copies, but you should be able to find copies.

For “Christ has come, as the great high priest of all blessings…and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice to God through the eternal Spirit [purifying] our inner self from dead actions so that we do our service to the living God. He brings a new covenant, as the mediator, only so that the people who were called to an eternal inheritance may actually receive what was promised: His death took place to cancel the sins that infringed the earlier covenant.” [Hebrews 9:11, 14-15]

“The One that offers Sacrifice is the same One who, after having sacrificed himself on the Cross…to obtain for us eternal redemption…offers Himself now by the ministry of the priest; there is no difference except in the manner of offering.” [Council of Trent, S. 22, c.2] “For in it Christ perpetuates in an unbloody manner the sacrifice offered on the Cross, offering Himself to the Father for the world’s salvation through the ministry of priests.” [Vatican Two documents]

“The Eucharistic Sacrifice is the source and summit of the whole of the Church’s worship and of Christian life. The faithful participate more fully in the sacrament of thanksgiving, propitiation, petition and praise not only when they wholeheartedly offer the sacred Victim, and in it themselves to the Father with the priest, but also when they receive this same Victim sacramentally.” [Vatican Two documents]

“The other sacraments, as indeed every ministry of the church and every work of the apostolate, are linked with the Eucharist and are directed towards it. For the Eucharist contains the entire spiritual good of the Church, namely, Christ Himself, our Passover and living bread, offering through His flesh, living and life-giving in the Spirit, life to all who are thus invited and led on to offer themselves, their labours, and all created things together with Him.” [Vatican Two documents

“The faithful are gathered by the preaching of Christ’s Gospel and the mystery of the Lord’s Supper is celebrated, ‘so that through the Body and Blood of the Lord the whole brotherhood is united…Christ is present, by whose power the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church is united. For the partaking has no less an effect than to change us into what we have received.’” [Vatican 11.9:7. Constitution of the Church, n.26]

“But union with Christ…is not to be limited to the duration of the celebration of the Eucharist; it is to be prolonged into the entire Christian life…(as) a continual thanksgiving under the Holy Spirit and may produce fruits of greater charity.” [Vatican Two documents]

God bless you, Trishie

 

[Zaphod]

I guess the question I’m still not clear on is whether the actions of the priest in the eucharist somehow help to atone for the people. Yes, Christ’s body atones. Yes the eucharist is Christ’s body. Yes, the priest is instrumental in transubstantiating the eucharist. But do Catholics connect the dots to say that the act of the eucharist is somehow effective in atoning for the people?

 

[Trishie]

The Eucharist IS Christs’ sacrifice. If it atones it is **through the death and resurrection of Jesus ** not through the priest any more than if I eat with a spoon, the spoon is the meal.

“The One that offers Sacrifice is the same One who, after having sacrificed himself on the Cross…to obtain for us eternal redemption…offers Himself now by the ministry of the priest; there is no difference except in the manner of offering.” [Council of Trent, S. 22, c.2] “For in it Christ perpetuates in an unbloody manner the sacrifice offered on the Cross, offering Himself to the Father for the world’s salvation through the ministry of priests.” [Vatican 2.9:3]

I hope this helps you with this understanding.

God bless you, Trishie

 

[Zaphod]

Yes, the eucharist is Christ. Christ atones. But does the eucharist atone? I mean, are you somehow more atoned for by partaking the eucharist than by not partaking? If so, how? Am I somehow not atoned if I turn up at church, but don’t partake that week? If the priest was away one week, and there was not a mass but a reader service, would there be somehow less atonement?

 

[JimG]

Yes, the eucharist is Christ. Christ atones. But does the eucharist atone? I mean, are you somehow more atoned for by partaking the eucharist than by not partaking? If so, how? Am I somehow not atoned if I turn up at church, but don’t partake that week? If the priest was away one week, and there was not a mass but a reader service, would there be somehow less atonement?

As Trishie said, the Eucharist IS Christ’s sacrifice, so of course it atones for sin. The Eucharist is Christ’s way of allowing us to be present at His one sacrifice. We weren’t alive 2000 years ago, but through the Eucharist we are present at that one sacrifice. Not only that, but as St. Paul said, we can unite our own sacrifices to His, in the Eucharist, by incorporating ourselves into the one sacrifice of Christ by incorporating ourselves into His body.

 

[Robert_in_SD]

Yes, the eucharist is Christ. Christ atones. But does the eucharist atone?

The Eucharist is the representation of the one sacrifice. It is the atonement. It is not an act. It is a presence.

Zaphod:

I mean, are you somehow more atoned for by partaking the eucharist than by not partaking? If so, how?

No. The atonement was Christ’s bloody death on the cross. That is not taking placy again during the mass. It is Christ’s body and blood that are made real and present. Participating in the Eucharist is a way of receiving grace from God through Christ. It is not receiving “more atonement.” It is a reception of grace.

Zaphod:

Am I somehow not atoned if I turn up at church, but don’t partake that week? If the priest was away one week, and there was not a mass but a reader service, would there be somehow less atonement?

No, because there is no “atonement” that takes place at a mass. There is only the representation of the same sacrifice that was offered, the body and blood of Christ. There is no new crucifiction, no new death or bloodletting. So, no atonement is “missed” where you do not partake. What IS missed is the opportunity to receive the grace that God imparts through the reception of the Eucharist. You miss out on that if you abstain from receiving.

Does this help?

Peace,
-Rob